CORPUS CHRISTI - The Hooks fell in 11 innings to the San Antonio Missions Friday night at Whataburger Field by a 5-4 margin.
The Hooks held a lead on three separate occasions in the second, fifth and eighth, but the Missions managed to mount a rally each time.
Grae Kessinger
CORPUS CHRISTI - The Hooks fell in 11 innings to the San Antonio Missions Friday night at Whataburger Field by a 5-4 margin.
The Hooks held a lead on three separate occasions in the second, fifth and eighth, but the Missions managed to mount a rally each time.
Grae Kessinger got the home side out to a 1-0 lead with a solo homer (2) to left after a nine-pitch battle with Osvaldo Hernandez.
Brett Daniels kept the Missions at bay through the first four frames, keeping the Missions hitless. But the visitors got on the board in the fifth on a controversial play at the plate. Matthew Batten lined a ball to left field and Marty Costes came up with an on-target throw home that reached well ahead of Juan Fernandez. The home plate umpire ruled that Fernandez got under the catcher Scott Manea's tag to tie the game.
Ross Adolph responded in the bottom of the fifth with his first Double-A homer to plate two runs and take back the lead.
Daniels finished 6.0 strong innings allowing four hits, two runs and two walks with seven strikeouts in the no-decision.
CJ Abrams produced runs in the sixth and eighth to tie it again. In the bottom of the eighth, the Missions intentionally walked the hot David Hensley to put two on with two out for C.J. Stubbs, who promptly ripped a go-ahead single up the middle.
The Missions retaliated again in the ninth against newly-acquired Hooks pitcher Nolan Riggs. Esteury Ruiz laid down a perfect safety squeeze to plate the tying run and send the game to extras.
In the 11th, Batten gave the Missions the lead with a single to center off Brandon Lawson (L, 0-1). Sam Williams threw 2.0 scoreless extra innings to earn the win.
Saturday marks the first start for highly-touted Astros prospect Hunter Brown. The first 2,000 fans at Whataburger Field will receive an Astros Crossbody bag, courtesy of First Community Bank. Gates open at 5:35 p.m. with a 7:05 first pitch.
